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Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan was full of praise for Liverpool after the Cityzens retained the Premier League title on May 22. The German stated that the Reds had an incredible season and pushed his side to their limit.
Manchester City needed a late comeback against Aston Villa at the Etihad to win the title. They were 2-0 down at the 75th minute but managed to win it 3-2 with all three goals for the Blues coming inside six minutes. Gundogan came off the bench and scored a brace sandwiching one goal by Rodri.
Speaking to the media after the game, Gundogan was happy to have won the title and praised Liverpool at the same time. He said (via Manchester Evening News):
"I know it's tough to say, but if Liverpool wouldn't be there and play the way they play, very successful, this league wouldn't be that attractive. Even though they finish just 1pt behind us they play an incredible season. They push us to the limit, it's a sad day for them but we need to appreciate what they've done and especially my former coach We look forward to competing with them next season."
He added:
"Fourth in five years, it's a huge moment, incredible achievement, we have to do it that way. It's about the togetherness within the team, the fans in the stadium. That's what we appreciate the most."
Manchester City edge Liverpool to the Premier League title
Liverpool pushed Manchester City to the limit, but could not manage to get there in the end. The Reds won their match against Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1. However, Manchester City came back from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa and keep their lead in the race.
Gundogan spoke about their comeback, saying:
"After going 2-0 down, the chances were just very small. We have to do the simple things again in the best way. Scoring two goals, and having 10 mins to score a third gave us a boost. It was a positive one, especially after being 2-0 down. It was about getting that goal and we knew the momentum was on that side. We knew we had to score three in a couple of minutes and we did. We're all fans, and these are the days you look back to, and unbelievable night."
Gundogan's future is in the balance, with reports suggesting he could be on his way out.
